The Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans swung a big trade Monday. Arizona landed All-World WR Deandre Hopkins and a fourth-round pick for David Johnson and a second-round pick this year and a fourth-rounder next year. Boom. A look at other big-name wide receivers who have been traded.
1962: Bobby Mitchell to Washington
The Browns traded the four-year veteran Bobby Mitchel to the Redskins for No. 1 overall pick Ernie Davis shortly after the draft, held in December 1961. Washington moved Mitchell from running back to receiver. He led the NFL in receiving in 1962 and ’63 and became a Hall of Famer.
1970: Paul Warfield to Dolphins
Paul Warfield was a key part of the Cleveland Browns’ 1964 championship and caught 22 TDs in his final two Cleveland seasons. Cleveland traded the former Ohio State star for Miami’s No. 3 overall pick in 1970 and drafted QB Mike Phipps. Warfield became a Hall of Famer.
1973: Harold Jackson to Rams
The Eagles traded Harold Jackson back to the Rams as part of a package, which included two first-round picks, for 33-year-old Roman Gabriel in 1973. Jackson delivered three Pro Bowl campaigns and played in eight Rams playoff games.
1976: Steve Largent to Seahawks
Steve Largent was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft. Despite being an All-American at the University of Tulsa, Largent was not seen as a big-time NFL prospect. He was traded to the expansion Seattle Seahawks for an eighth-round pick after four preseason games, and would go on to become a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
1976: Ahmad Rashad to Vikings
The Seahawks traded Ahmad Rashad to the Vikings for a fourth-round pick. Rashad made four Pro Bowls, from 1978-81.
1981: John Jefferson to Packers
Jefferson had three 1,000-yard seasons with the Chargers. A contract dispute led to a 1981 holdout. The Bolts shipped him to the Packers for a first-rounder, two second-rounders and a 1982 round 1 pick swap. Jefferson played four years in Green Bay but didn’t exceed 900 yards in any.
1981: Wes Chandler to Chargers
The Chargers were without a John Jefferson replacement for less than two weeks, trading one of those first-round picks (and the player, wideout Aundra Thompson, acquired from the Packers) to the Saints for Wes Chandler. Chandler made three Pro Bowls as a Charger.
1987: James Lofton to the Raiders
The Raiders sent third- and fourth-round picks to the Packers to land James Lofton in 1987. The former Stanford star’s time with the Raiders was two years and he was cut after a 549-yard, zero-TD 1988 season.
1985: Drew Hill to the Oilers
Los Angeles sent former 12th-round pick Drew Hill to Houston for fourth- and seventh-round picks in 1985. Hill had five 1,000-yard seasons as an Oiler and made two Pro Bowls.
1985: Anthony Carter to the Vikings
The USFL Oakland Invaders released Anthony Carter prior to folding. The Dolphins dealt his rights to the Vikings for linebacker Robin Sendlein and a second-round pick in 1985. Carter’s three Pro Bowl berths came during Viking playoff seasons.
1988: Willie Gault to Raiders
Willie Gault asked for a trade from Chicago to California in 1988 to pursue an acting career. The Raiders traded first- and third-round picks for Gault. He played six seasons in Los Angeles, and was part of a 1990 AFC title game.
1993: Irving Fryar to Dolphins
The Dolphins dealt second- and third-rounders for Irving Fryar, a former No. 1 overall pick from New England in 1993. Fryar made two Pro Bowls in three Miami seasons.
1995: Rob Moore to Cardinals
The Jets traded Moore to the Cardinals on the eve of the 1995 draft. The Cardinals sent first- and fourth-round picks, along with running back Ronald Moore, to obtain the wideout. Moore accumulated more than 5,000 yards in five Cardinals years, and earned All-Pro honors in 1997.
2000: Keyshawn Johnson to Bucs
In a contract dispute with the Jets, Johnson was traded to Tampa Bay in 2000. It cost the Buccaneers two first-round picks. Johnson, a former No. 1 overall pick from USC got a $52 million deal, long-term deal. Johnson played three full seasons, the last of which being the Bucs’ Super Bowl year.
2000: Joey Galloway to Cowboys
In 2000, the Cowboys sent the Seahawks two first-round picks for Joey Galloway. Galloway did not catch a pass from Troy Aikman, tearing an ACL in Week 1 of the 2000 season. Galloway’s final three Cowboys slates, were not successful.
2003: Peerless Price to Falcons
The Falcons traded their 2003 first-rounder to give Michael Vick another weapon. Given a seven-year, $42 million contract, Price played just two seasons in Atlanta.
2004: Terrell Owens to Eagles
Initially, the Ravens gave the 49ers a second-round pick for Terrell Owens in 2004. An arbitrator’s ruling paved the way for T.O. to become an Eagle. The 49ers returned the pick to Baltimore. Owens helped the Eagles to the Super Bowl. But in 2005, his contract— seven years, $42 million — created major issues.
2005: Randy Moss to Raiders
The Vikings sent Randy Moss to the Raiders in 2005, getting Oakland’s No. 7 overall pick and linebacker Napoleon Harris. Moss’ low point came on a 2-14 Raiders team in 2006 as he he averaged 42.5 receiving yards per game. Moss was a frequent player to be changing teams despite his brilliant ability as a wide receiver.
2006: Deion Branch to Seahawks
In September 2006, the Seahawks surrendered a first-round pick for Deuib Branch. Seattle gave Branch an extension New England wouldn’t (six years, $39 million) and saw him never eclipse 900 yards in any of his four seasons on the team. The Seahawks traded Branch back to the Pats in 2010. He was again a Super Bowl team’s starter in 2011.
2007: Wes Welker to Patriots
Bill Belichick gave the Dolphins ’07 second- and seventh-round choices for Wes Welker, who had a six-year run with Tom Brady that produced five Pro Bowls.
2008: Roy Williams to Cowboys
This still may be the worst in-season trade in NFL history. In 2008, the Detroit Lions traded Roy Williams to the Cowboys for a haul of picks. He played three seasons for the Cowboys but caught a combined 94 balls for 1,324 yards and 13 TDs.
2010: Brandon Marshall to Dolphins
Denver’s Brandon Marshall was traded to Miami in 2010 for two second-round picks. Josh McDaniels used one of the Marshall picks to move up for Tim Tebow in the 2010 first round. The Dolphins received one of Marshall’s six Pro Bowl seasons before trading him to the Bears in 2012.
2013: Percy Harvin to Seahawks
The Seahawks’ 2013 decision to trade for Percy Harvin and guarantee him $25.5 million did not work out. They sent the Vikings first- and third-round picks, which became Xavier Rhodes and Jerick McKinnon. Counting the playoffs, Harvin played eight Seahawks games.
2017: Brandin Cooks, I and II
Brandin Cooks was traded to the Patriots by the Saints for the 2017 No. 32 overall pick (right tackle Ryan Ramczyk).ayed a key role in the Patriots reaching Super Bowl LII. Cooks was then sent to the Rams in 2018 for the No. 23 choice (offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn). The Rams gave Cooks a five-year deal with $50 million in guarantees. From 2016-18, he posted 1,000-yard seasons for three teams.
2018: Josh Gordon to Patriots
On September 17, 2018, Gordon was traded along with a seventh-round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2019 fifth-round draft pick.
2018: Amari Cooper
The Cowboys landed wide receiver Amari Cooper in a 2018 trade with the Oakland Raiders on Monday in exchange for a first-round draft pick. Cooper, 24, was a Pro Bowl selection his first two seasons in the NFL after eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards in both 2015 and 2016. He struggled in 2017 but has regained his form in Dallas.
2019: Odell Beckham Jr. to Browns
On March 13, 2019, the Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. was acquired by the Cleveland Browns, along with Olivier Vernon, in exchange for Jabrill Peppers, Kevin Zeitler, and the Browns’ first- and third-round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft
2019: Antonio Brown
The Steelers sent disgruntled Antonio Brown to the Oakland Raiders in 2019 for a third- and fifth-round pick. Brown got a new contract is for three years and worth $50.125 million with a maximum value of $54.125 million. He didn’t play a single game with the Raiders, finding all sorts of troubles.
